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Young Schoop returns from Classic with experience

3/7/13: Jonathan Schoop unloads on a pitch from Yadier Pedroso, drilling a three-run homer to extend the Netherlands' sixth-inning lead

By Brittany Ghiroli
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MLB.com |

SARASOTA, Fla. -- Orioles prospect Jonathan Schoop returned from the World Baseball Classic on Wednesday morning after flying into Orlando in the middle of the night and driving to the team's complex in Sarasota.

"I had a lot of fun over there. It was a good experience," said Schoop who hit .214 with a double, two homers and six RBIs as part of a Kingdom of the Netherlands team that advanced to the semifinals. "I was happy. We did a good job. We showed the world that we could play baseball, compete at a high level. I think we did pretty good."

Schoop, considered the Orioles top position player prospect, left his first Major League Spring Training last month to serve as the Dutch second baseman. While manager Buck Showalter told reporters he wasn't opposed to playing Schoop right away, the 21-year-old did not get in to Wednesday's 6-5 win against the Blue Jays.

"He would have gotten a lot of playing time here, but he got a lot of playing time there," Showalter said. "It was a great experience for him. Proud of him. People were raving about him there, [manager] Hensley [Meulens] loved him."